Bottle closure



. 2, 1941. E. J. SWEETLAND BOTTLE CLQSURE Filed July 1, 1939 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNHTED STATES FATENT QFi lCE.

2,264,729 BOTTLE CLOSURE Ernest J. Sweetland, Piedmont, .Calif.

Application July 1, 1939, Serial No. 282,'533

Claims.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers and especially to bottles for use as containers for fire extinguishing fluids in combination with means for rapidly opening said bottles to discharge the contents thereof. 1

An object of my invention is to provide a bottle having a stopper disposed within the neck of said bottle and superimposed by a follower normally sealed in position within the neck of said bottle. By manually forcing the follower downwardly into the bottle neck the stopper is forced into the bottle and the contents may readily be discharged.

A further object is to provide a bottle as above described but which when suitably mounted within a bracket may automatically discharge its contents to extinguish fires.

A further object is to provide a bottle to contain a fire extinguishing fluid, which. bottle is provided with a stopper and a follower to force the stopper into the bottle; said follower being so constructed as to prevent the stopper which has been driven into the bottle from obstructing the neck of the bottle and thus preventing discharge of the contents.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description Where I shall outline in full that form of my invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification. I do not limit myself to such form or forms of my invention herein illustrated and described, since the invention is capable of various modifications which are limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

My invention will be understood by reference to the following description and the appended drawing wherein Figure l is a side elevation partially in section of a bottle showing a stopper and means for rapidly removing same.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a'fragmentary view of Figure 1 showing the position of the follower after the 4 seal is broken and the stopper is forced out of the neck and into the body of the bottle.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View of a bottle showing a modified form of follower for removing the stopper.

Figure 5 is a plan view'of Figure 4. Figure 6 shows a bracket and method of supporting the bottle in inverted position for automatic discharge of contents.

.Figure 7 is a plan, view of Fig. 6 and shows the 55 v the metallic stopper.

'of the neck of the bottle 9 in the follower.

bottom of the bottleand the form of the bracket which supports it.

Figure 8 is a modified form of my invention showing a'metallic closure surrounded by ense-aling material and having a follower supported by Referring to the drawingin detail and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, l is a glass bottle having neck member 2 into which the stopper 3 has been forced to form a closure for the bottle. This stopper may be of ordinary cork or other suitable material. At the top of the stopper is a disc of metal 4 which serves the purpose of distributing the pressure of the. follower to prevent the cork from breaking during the operationof pushing it into the bottle. 5 is the follower which is a tubular metallic element open at both ends and having a slit 6 extending throughout its length. The diameter of the follower 5 when removed from the bottle and in its relaxed position slightly larger than the internal diameter Therefore when it is pushed into the neck of the bottle to the position shown in Fig. l the slit 6 is slightly narrowed and the natural resiliency of the metal which is exerted outwardly against the internal walls of the neck of the bottle holds the follower in position where it will not fall out even though it is not otherwise held in the bottle neck.

As the manufacturers guarantee of the quality of a flre extinguisher fluid is of some importance I provide the seal 1 which unites and sealsthe ends of the thread or wire 8 which encircles the neck of the bottle and. passes through the holes Therefore, the original contents of the bottle cannot be discharged without breaking the seal. The beads ll whichencircle the bottle cooperate with the bracket fshownin Figure 2 to hold the bottle in proper position.

Referring to Figure 3 the follower is' shown after it is driven downwardly in the neck of the bottle to displace the stopper 3, the disc 4 being shown adhering .to the stopper. It is immaterial whether the disc 4 is cemented to or otherwise secured to .the stopper 3. In Figure 3 the filament 8 which forms the seal has beenbroken as it is naturally sheared as the follower 5 is forced down into the neck of the bottle. The filament 8 maybe of soft wire ofsmall diameter or of the bottle I and the neck 2 and the stopper 3 are substantially the same as illustrated in the preceding figures, the disc lbeing omitted .entirely. In this modification the follower Jimay be made of a piece of wood dowel material through which has been drilled the hole Hi. This dowel material is of substantially smaller diameter than the neck of the bottle to provide the annular space I! as it is important that the dowel will pass freely through the bottle neck without binding. Since such a loose fit follower would be readily lost if not suitably secured in position, I provide the thread [8, the ends of which are secured under the seal I9 which encircles the neck of the bottle. This thread serves the double purpose of holding the follower l in place and of ensuring the original contents of the bottle under the seal of the manufacturer.

Referring to Figs. 6 and '7, the construction of the bottle I, stopper 3, and the follower 5 are identical with those described in Figures 1 and 2. The bottle is held in inverted position by the clip or bracket 2| which holds the bottle between the beads l l in such manner that the resiliency of the bracket 2| will permit the bottle to be removed for manual use, if desired. It is preferable that the bottle be mounted in inverted position as shown in Figure '7 because in the event of a fire when there is no one present to operate the extinguisher manually, the vapor pressure formed within the bottle by the heat will force the cork 3 and follower 5 entirely out of the bottle so that the contents will discharge and at least tend to retard the conflagration. When used in this manner the seal may be omitted if the type follower shown in Fig. 1 is used. If the modification of Fig. 4 is used, the seal or filament used is of fragile material and easily broken by the pressure behind the cork.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the bottle 3l is preferably made with a short neck as shown and Within the neck is a metallic stopper plug 32 which is surrounded by a suitable ensealing material 33 and secured to the top of the member 32 by solder or otherwise is the upright follower 34 which extends a considerable distance above the level of the neck of the bottle. 35 may be a solder joint uniting the elements 32 and 34.

In all cases the followers 5, l5 and 34 extend above the top of the bottle to a distance at least equal to the distance between the top of the stopper and the point at which the bottle neck widens to a greater diameter than the diameter of the stopper so that when the follower is struck the stopper is completely released to fall into the bottle.

The manner of using this bottle as an automatic fire extinguisher has been described. To use the extinguisher illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 manually, the follower 5 is struck against a solid surface which forces it downwardly through the neck of the bottle, pushing the stopper 3 and disc 4 into the bottle; the follower 5 being hollow the fluid is easily discharged from the bottle into the fire by a swinging or shaking motion. Since the follower 5 is slitted on one side as shown at 6 the entire contents of the bottle will drain out when the bottle is held in an inverted position; and since the opening in the end of the follower 5 is of considerably smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the cork there is no likelihood of the cork becoming lodged in the neck of the bottle while the contents are being shaken out. After use the bottle may be refilled, if desired.

The modification shown in Figures 5 and'G is manually operated by striking the follower l5 with a blow sufficient to dislodge the cork 3 and force it into the bottle. The thread I8 is either broken or pulled loose from the seal during the operation. It is immaterial whether the follower [5 falls out or is forced into the bottle when the device is used.

The modification shown in Figure 8 is operated by striking the follower 34 to force the stopper and follower into the bottle after which the contents are discharged upon the fire.

I claim:

1. A fluid container comprising a bottle; a neck on said bottle of smaller diameter than the body portion thereof; a stopper within said neck substantialy below the top thereof; a follower within said neck the lower portion of which is surrounded thereby; said follower extending above the top of said neck to a distance greater than the distance between the top of said stopper and the point where said bottle neck widens to a diameter greater than the diameter of said stopper; said follower comprising a tubular member with a longitudinal slit to provide peripheral resiliency in said tube and said tube being held in frictional engagement with the interior of said bottle neck by the outwardly exerted resiliency of said tube.

2. A bottle; a neck on said bottle; a stopper within said neck substantially below the top thereof; a follower within said neck the lower portion of which is surrounded thereby; said follower extending above the top of said neck to a distance greater than the distance between the top of said stopper and the point where said bottle neck widens to a diameter greater than the diameter of said stopper; said follower comprising a tubular member with a longitudinal slit to provide peripheral resiliency in said tube and said tube being held in frictional engagement with the interior of said bottle neck by the outwardly exerted resiliency of said tube; a transverse passageway through said follower; a filament through said passageway; means for securing and sealing said filament to the neck of said bottle.

3. A fluid container comprising a bottle; a neck on said bottle of smaller diameter than the body portion thereof; a stopper within said neck substantially below the top thereof; a follower within said neck, the lower portion of which is surrounded thereby; said follower extending above the top of said neck to a distance greater than the distance between the top of said stopper and the place where said bottle neck widens to a greater diameter than the diameter of said stopper; said follower comprising a tubular member made of resilient material having a longitudinal slit; the normal external diameter of said tubular member being greater than the internal diameter of the neck of said bottle; said follower being contracted for insertion in said bottle neck whereby said tubular member is retained in said bottle neck by frictional engagement therewith.

4. A fluid container comprising a bottle; a neck on said bottle of smaller diameter than the body portion thereof; a stopper within said neck substantially below the top thereof; a follower within said neck, the lower portion of which is surrounded thereby; a metallic disc to form an abutment between said stopper and said follower; said follower extending above the top of said neck to a distance greater than the distance between the top of said stopper and the place where said bottle neck widens to a diameter greater than the diameter of said stopper; said follower comprising a tubular member made of resilient material having a longitudinal slit; the

normal external diameter of said tubular memher being greater than the internal diameter of the neck of said bottle; said follower being contracted for insertion in said bottle neck whereby said tubular member is retained in said bottle neck by frictional engagement therewith.

5. A fluid container comprising a bottle; a neck on said bottle of smaller diameter than the body portion thereof; a stopper within said neck substantially below the top thereof; a follower within said neck, the lower portion of which is surrounded thereby; a metallic disc to form an abutment between said stopper and said follower; said follower extending above the top of said neck to a distance greater than the distance between the top of said stopper and the place where said bottle neck widens to a diameter greater than the diameter of said stopper; said follower comprising a tubular member made of resilient material having a longitudinal slit; the normal external diameter of said tubular memher being greater than the internal diameter of the neck of said bottle; said follower being contracted for insertion in said bottle neck whereby said tubular member is retained in said bottle neck by frictional engagement therewith; sealing means uniting said follower to the neck of said bottle which sealing means must be broken before said follower can be forced inwardly to dislodge said stopper.

ERNEST J. SWEETLAND. 

